“Roasted rack of venison is an elegant presentation that provides a flavorful alternative to traditional holiday fare. This venison dish is served with morel mushrooms, which are considered to be one of the most highly-regarded edible wild mushrooms, second only to the truffle. These mushrooms’ honey-combed, cone-shaped cap has a delicately earthy, almost smoky flavor. Therefore, it has a natural ability to balance well with venison dishes.” – Chef Schmidt
Serves 6 to 8
For Venison
2 each 8-bone venison racks, approximately 2.5 pounds each, trimmed of silver skin (available on line from www.dartagnan.com)
3 tbsp vegetable or canola oil (canola is preferred). Reserve 1tbsp for cooking.
6 each fresh rosemary sprigs, cut into 6-inch lengths
2 each garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Sea salt to taste
Freshly milled black pepper to taste
For Morel Mushrooms
¼ lb fresh morel mushrooms*, slit length-wise and cleaned well of any debris (available online from www.dartagnan.com)
2 tbsp shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup red wine
¼ water
6.5 oz (1 container) veal demi-glace (available online from www.dartagnan.com)
Sea salt to taste
Freshly milled black pepper to taste
* If fresh morels are unavailable at market, dried morels can be substituted in their place. Instead, use half the weight of fresh, or 2 ounces. Simply place them in 1 cup of water (room temperature), squeezing periodically until hydrated. This will take approximately 3-4 hours. If water becomes dirty, change water as needed.
Venison Preparation
With a sharp knife, carefully remove the thin silver skin on the rack of venison. Rub venison with canola oil, garlic, salt and pepper to your desired taste. Place rosemary sprigs on meat and place in a plastic sealable container. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
After marinating for 24 hours, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large sauté pan on high heat, and add 1 tbsp reserved canola or vegetable oil to pan. Remove rosemary from meat and discard. Place venison racks into hot sauté pan (medium-high heat) and sear two minutes on each side. Remove from sauté pan; wrap the bone portion with aluminum foil to prevent burning when roasting. Put racks of venison into roasting pan and place in oven. Roast for 26 – 29 minutes, or use a meat thermometer to gauge when an internal temperature of 130 degrees has been reached. Reserve venison rack to a platter and cover loosely with foil. Allow this to set 8 – 10 minutes. This will be a perfect medium rare.
Morel Preparation
Melt the butter in a medium saucepot over high heat, being careful not to burn. Add the shallots, reduce the heat to medium and quickly stir for 20-30 seconds, do not brown.
Add the morels, reduce to low heat and sauté for 2-3 minutes. When completed, add the red wine, water and the demi-glace. Whisk until sauce is formed. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and freshly milled black pepper. Hold warm for service.
Plating the Venison Rack
Warm individual serving plates. Place sauce on medium heat, bring back to boil and remove. At this point you can leave the rack intact, 3-4 bones per portion or just simply carve straight down each bone making a single bone chop. Arrange on place, spoon sauce and morels around venison. Garnish with zucchini and root vegetables such as carrots and parsnips. Serve immediately, paired with a Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel or Possums Vineyard Shiraz (available online at www.ridgewine.com or www.possumswine.com.au, respectively), or a full-bodied red that is low in tannin. Happy holidays!
Photography by Terry Allen
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